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Lectures

We offer nine lectures from October to June, and aim to cover a good range of interests, eg. Fine Art, Porcelain, Music, Theatre, Architecture, over the course of the year.Our speakers are drawn from the Arts Society Directory of accredited  lecturers, of whom there are more than 400 spread across the whole of the British Isles, with new names and new lectures being added every year.

‘Directory Day’ is held in London in March every year; it is attended by lecturers, programme secretaries and special interest day secretaries so they may meet each other, talk about the lectures and the lecturers can display their ‘wares’: newly accredited lecturers are able to have two minutes on the stage to introduce themselves and their specialist subjects and some established lecturers offering a new topic are also allowed one minute to introduce it to the audience. This process is controlled with strict discipline as the microphone is switched off if they go overtime!

The ‘on-line’ Directory contains additional information, such as contact details, as well as short clips of their stage appearance at Directory Day to give us a good overall impression; however this information is classified and available only to programme secretaries!

So how do we make our selection? By topic, by recommendation, by interesting title, by inviting back a previously excellent speaker; by all sorts of considerations we aim to provide an informative, interesting and entertaining series of lectures that are good value for all of our members.

Visits - What to expect

We organise a number of trips each year within a radius of around 30 miles of Cambridge. These involve a car or bus journey; we avoid coaches, and keep the cost down as much as possible. In addition, we plan a number of local visits within Cambridge, such as the Cripps Gallery at Magdalene College, the Fitzwilliam Museum, and the various University Museums and Colleges. Whenever possible, we offer private guided tours at every location.

Here’s what is already planned for next season:

  • October              Wren Library, Trinity College
  • January 2027     Whipple Museum of Science
  • February             Royston Cave
  • April/May            Henry Moore Studios and Gardens, Much Hadham

Tours - Organisation

We organise an annual residential trip, normally alternating UK and overseas locations. In 2026 we went to Scotland, and in 2027 we are going to Romania. 

Special Interest Days

We have two Special Interest Days planned for the 2026-27 season. 

Tuesday 24 November 2026: Mary Alexander, Why Paris? The allure of the City of Light, 1900-1945

Tuesday  16 March 2027: Jo Walton, Radicals and Rivals - how Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson changed art in Britain.

Full details and booking arrangements can be found on this page. 

Lectures

We offer nine lectures from October to June, and aim to cover a good range of interests, eg. Fine Art, Porcelain, Music, Theatre, Architecture, over the course of the year.Our speakers are drawn from the Arts Society Directory of accredited  lecturers, of whom there are more than 400 spread across the whole of the British Isles, with new names and new lectures being added every year.

‘Directory Day’ is held in London in March every year; it is attended by lecturers, programme secretaries and special interest day secretaries so they may meet each other, talk about the lectures and the lecturers can display their ‘wares’: newly accredited lecturers are able to have two minutes on the stage to introduce themselves and their specialist subjects and some established lecturers offering a new topic are also allowed one minute to introduce it to the audience. This process is controlled with strict discipline as the microphone is switched off if they go overtime!

The ‘on-line’ Directory contains additional information, such as contact details, as well as short clips of their stage appearance at Directory Day to give us a good overall impression; however this information is classified and available only to programme secretaries!

So how do we make our selection? By topic, by recommendation, by interesting title, by inviting back a previously excellent speaker; by all sorts of considerations we aim to provide an informative, interesting and entertaining series of lectures that are good value for all of our members.

Visits - What to expect

We organise a number of trips each year within a radius of around 30 miles of Cambridge. These involve a car or bus journey; we avoid coaches, and keep the cost down as much as possible. In addition, we plan a number of local visits within Cambridge, such as the Cripps Gallery at Magdalene College, the Fitzwilliam Museum, and the various University Museums and Colleges. Whenever possible, we offer private guided tours at every location.

Here’s what is already planned for next season:

  • October              Wren Library, Trinity College
  • January 2027     Whipple Museum of Science
  • February             Royston Cave
  • April/May            Henry Moore Studios and Gardens, Much Hadham

Tours - Organisation

We organise an annual residential trip, normally alternating UK and overseas locations. In 2026 we went to Scotland, and in 2027 we are going to Romania. 

Special Interest Days

We have two Special Interest Days planned for the 2026-27 season. 

Tuesday 24 November 2026: Mary Alexander, Why Paris? The allure of the City of Light, 1900-1945

Tuesday  16 March 2027: Jo Walton, Radicals and Rivals - how Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson changed art in Britain.

Full details and booking arrangements can be found on this page.